Insole and method of manufacturing same



July 22, 1930. s, R, BLAKELY- 1,770,908

INsoLE AND METHOD oF MANUFACTURING smi:

Filed Feb. 28, 1929 wlw, lill/[[4491 Patented: July I22, v1930 luio-,99a

BQIBLAXELY, F JAMAICA PLAIN, MASSACHUSETTS' msom AND METHOD orMANUFACTURING slum- Apfncauonmea February 2s, 1929. serial No. 343,405.

My present invention relates to insoles, and `more particularly toa'novel and improved insole particularly adapted for use 1n themanufacture of boots or shoes, the in- 6 sole of the present applicationbeing an alternative of and an im rovement on the insoles illustrated,descrlbed and claimed in my prior and copending application Ser. No.339,811, led Feb. 14., 1929.

The insole ofthe present application, also, y is adapted and intendedtobe usedvin conjunction with the novel last of my cepend- 1ng applicationSer. No. 339,812, filed Feb. 14,1929.

Insolesin which-the present invention is embodied are equally applicablefor use in turn', welt or'McKay shoes, or shoes manufactured accordingto well known cemented processes, and while the drawing of the presv- 2ent application illustrates an insole primarily adapted for use in McKayshoes, 1t will be appreciated andA understood that this is forillustrative purposes only and that I am `not limited thereto.

An im ortant object of the present invention'resides in the provision ofan insole with an 'abrupt break therein at the rear. of the shankportion, thisv break being defined by a substantially vertical wallagainst which-theV *3 foot of the wearer will bear.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a novel shankpiece, constructed and arranged to have a portion at the rear thereofwhich will substantially abut against said wall of theinsole andreinforce the said wall, retaimng it in shape against the weight ofthewearer.

Another object of the invention resides in providing, in said insole,and before assembly in the shoe, a rounded heel seat which, combinedwith the aforesaid substantially vertical wall, will form a deep pocket,in which, in the completed shoe, is adapted to be fitted a heel pad ofconsiderable depth, and of sulflcient softness or cushioning capacity toallow the heel of the wearer to press said pad to a'sufiicient extent toallow the forward part ofthe heel of the wearer to bear against theupper edge of said wall.

Another object of the invention resides in ldescribed and aflixing, tothe heel portionof said insole, and before'the molding operation or stepto cup the same, a reinforcing layer or plate, preferably ofvnon-metallic material, of suiicient body and stiffness to retain therounded contour once same has been molded in the heel portion. This heelpiece or plate is. constructed with a rectangular recess therein toreceive the heel end of a metallic shank stiffener, so that this heelend of said stiffener will be flush or substantially flush with theexposed surfaces of said heel piece or plate,

thus preventing any discomfort to the wearer of the shoe and will alsoprovide an anchorage for the heel end of said stifener.

In carrying out my present invention I uti-l lize an insole blank ofgreater length than the length of the completed insole, this increasedlength being sufficient to allow for `1 the formation of the aforesaidwall at the, rear of the shank portion.

I believe that an insole constructed as above is novel, and I havethereforeclaimed v the same broadly in the present application.

I also believe that the method of .manufacturing said insole, abovebriefly described, is novel, and saidprocess is therefore also claimedin the present application.

``I furthermore believe that the particular shank piece illustrated anddescribed herein is novel, and said shank piece is therefore alsoclaimedin the present application.

-The above and other objects of the invention, details of construction,combinations land advantages, will be hereinafter more fully pointedlout, described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, illustrating a preferredembodiment of thepresent invention 1 is la bottom plan .view/of an insole an ,l Fig? 2 isa side elevation .of said blank after application of thereof;

Fig. 3 is a bottom thus far prepared;

the heel layer/and c upping plan view of the blank as Fig. 4 is a sideelevation o f the blank of Fig. positioned on a -last' preparatory tobreaking;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary medial sectional view of the rear of the shankand heel portion of said blank after being broken or shortened;

Fig. 6 isa bottom plan view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the novel' shank piece preferablyutilized p Fig. 8 is a medial sectional view of the blank afterapplication and temporary securing of the shank piece;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the blank after breaking; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary medial sectional view of the completed insole,illustrating application of a metallic shank stiifener thereto.

Referring now to the drawings for a particular description of theinvention, 1 designates an insole blank, preferably of leather, formedto the shape of an insole, but of slightly greater length than thelength of the completed insole.

This blank may be provided, on its bottom surface, with a series oftransverse slits 2, for flexibility, as is usual. Onto `the heelportionof said blank I then apply a layer 3 of nonemetallic material,and preferably fibrous material, such as leather. Wood may be utilizedif desired. This layer 3 may be secured to the heel portion of the blankby adhesive, or by staples 4, or both, and this heel portion, includingthe layer 3, is then subjected to a molding operation which will give arounded inner cup, as illustrated at 5, this cup or concavity beingrounded to a predetermined contour.

In the heel piece or layer 3 I provide a recess 8, preferablyrectangular in shape, the purpose of which will be hereinafter morefully described.

The blank as thus far completed, is then applied to a last 6, this lasthaving a sub stantially vertical wall 7 thereon, and the blank is thenhammered or beaten to conform to the shape of the said last. Thisoperatin Will break the blank, at the rear of the shank portion thereof,and will form a substantially vertical wall 9 therein, corresponding tothe wall 7 on the last.

This breaking operation also will shorten the blank 1, bringing it todesired length.

If desired, this breaking operation may be performed in a machine, priorto application to the last, in which event the blank would appear asillustrated in Fig. 9, shortened and ready for application to said last,but the preferred method is `as above described, viz, breaking the samedirectly on the last 6.

The beating or hammering of the blank 1' will also form therein an archin the shank portion, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 5, 8 and 10.Subsequently tothis operation, I then apply my novel shank piece 10,this piece tapering from a relatively thin edge 1,1, to the y thick end12, the height of the thickened end 12 being preferably substantiallythe same as the height of the wall 9 in the insole. When the shank piece10 is applied to the blank, it may be secured thereto by adhesive, or bya tack 13 or both. The shank piece 10, also, will assume the arch shapeof the shank portion of -the blank 1, being beaten to this shape ifnecessary.

The insole is now ready to receive a metallic shank stiffener 14, theheel end ofwhich will be seated in the recess 8 inthe heel piece 3,being securely anchored therein against transverse movement and againstlongitudinal movement toward the heel, the heel piece 3 being preferablyof approximately the same height as the thickness of the shank stiifeneror arch support 14 so that said arch support will be substantially flush4 with said-heel plece.

The edges of the heel piece 3 are preferably skivedv or beveled, as arealso the -sides of the shank piece 10, to effect a better fitting of theinsole within the completed shoe.

The pocket formed in thein'sole iscapable of receiving a relativelyYdeep heel pad or cushion, which may have a partially or substantiallystraight front lwall. adapted to abut against the vertical wall`9, saidwall 9 preferably extending, squarely front of the heel portion.

Thus, in the completed shoe,.-when the weight of the wearer is put inthe shoe, the heel pad will"compress suiicientlyl to allow the forwardpart of the heel-of 'the wearer to bear or abut against the Wall 9,thusaffording a firm grip for the heel of the wearer in the heel part ofthe shoe, vand Apreventing the throwing of the Weight of the wearerentirely on the ball and toes of the foot, as is done in existing typesof shoes. The wall 9 will be across the strengthened and reinforced bythe thick end 12 of the shank piece 10', preventing any breaking down ofthe said wall 9 during walking or wearing of said shoes.

The utility, efliciency,`strength and advan- .i tages of my novel insolewill be apparent to those skilled in the art, andwhen incorporated inthe shoe of my said copending application,

will result in great comfort and ease to theA foot and wearer thereof,eliminating man y present orthopedie troubles occasioned shoes of thehigh heel type.

While I have necessarily described my' present invention somewhat indetail, it will be appreciated that I may vary the size, shape andarrangement of parts within reasonably wide limits without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

My invention is further described and dened in the form of claims asfollows:

1. An insole for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes, having anabrupt break therein at the rear of the shank portion lao ` being ofsubstantially the same height as said wall.

2. An insole for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes, having anabrupt break therein at the rear of the shank portion thereof, saidbreak being defined by a substantially vertical wall, a layer ofreinforcing material on the heel portion thereof, said heel portion andsaid reinforcing layer having a cup formed therein, and a layer ofreinforcing material along the shank portion thereof,

said shank portion and said reinforcing layer having an arch formedtherein the rearmost edge of said shank layer being of substantially thesame height as said Wall.

3. An insole for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes, having anabrupt break therein at the rearof the shank portion thereof, said breakbeing defined by a substantially vertical wall, a layer of reinforcing lmaterial on the heel portion thereof, -said heel portion and saidreinforcing layer having a cup formed thereon, s'aid heel layer having arecess therein to receive the heel end of an arch supporter, and a layerof reinforcing material along the shank portion of said insole, saidshank portion and said reinforcing layer having an arch formed therein.

4. An insole for use inthe manufacture of boots and shoes, having anabrupt break therein at the rear of the shank portion thereof, saidbreak being defined by a 'substantially vertical wall, a layer ofreinforcing material on the heel portion thereof, said heel portion andsaid reinforcing layer having a cup formed therein, said heel layerhaving a recess therein to receive the heel end of an arch supporter, alayer of reinforcing mate-- rial along the shank portion of said insole,

said shank portion and said reinforcing layer l having an arch formedtherein, and the rearmost edge of said shank layer being ofsubstantially the same height as said wall.

5. Thatimprovement in the art of manufacturing insoles, which consists'in subjecting a blank of greater length than the completed insole to abreaking operatiomwhereby concaving said heel forcing layer. l

7. That improvement in the art of manufacturing insoles, which consistsin forming a substantially `rectangular recess in a layer of reinforcingmaterial to receive the heel end of an arch supporter, applying saidlayer to the heel portion of an insole blank of greater length than thecompleted insole, and subjecting said blank to a breaking operation,

whereby a substantially vertical Wall will be produced at the rear ofthe shank portion of sufficient height to reduce said blank to desiredlength.

8. That improvement in the art of manufacturing insoles, which consistsin forming a substantially rectangular recess in a layer of reinforcingmaterial to receive the heel end of `an arch supporter, applying-saidlayer to the heel portion of an insole blank of greater length than thecompleted insole, subjecting said-blank to a breaking operation, wherebya substantially'vertical wall will be produced at the rear of the shankportion of suiiicient height to reduce said blank to desired length, andapplyingto the shank. portionof said blank a reinforcinon layer havingthe rearmost edge thereof of substantially the same height as said wall.

9. That improvement in the art. of manufacturing insoles, which consistsin forming a substantially rectangular recess in av layer of reinforcingmaterial to receive the heel end of an arch supporter, applying saidlayer to. the heel portion of an insole blank of greater length than thecompleted insole, subjecting said blank-to a breaking operation, wherebya substantially vertical Wall will be produced at the rear of the shankportion of sufficient height to reduce said blank to deportion and saidreinsired length, applying to the shank portion In testimony whereof, Ihave signed my name to this specification.'

SIDNEY R. BLAKELY.

a substantially vertical wall will be produced at the rear of the shankportion -of 'suiicient height to reduce the said insole to desiredlength, and applying a shank piece to said insole, the rear-most edge ofsaid shank piece being of substantially the same height as saidl wall.

6. That improvement in the art of manu-

